HSE and Drumm contacts resume talks

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has resumed contact with representatives of Prof Brendan Drumm about him becoming chief executive of the organisation.

Talks between Prof Drumm, a paediatrician at Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin, and senior figures of the HSE and the Department of Health broke down last week in a row over whether he could resume his existing academic consultancy post on completion of his term as chief executive.

Senior Opposition politicians claimed last week that Prof Drumm's proposals to bring in a six-person "cabinet" to work with him as chief executive had also generated tensions.

The HSE, the Department of Health and sources close to Prof Drumm would not comment on whether talks had resumed last night. However, The Irish Times understands that there have been renewed contacts between the parties in recent days. Some sources suggested that these may continue over the weekend.

The recruitment subcommittee of the board of the HSE met yesterday afternoon to consider the issue of the appointment of a chief executive.

In a brief statement last night the HSE said its recruitment subcommittee would continue to consider the options available. The subcommittee will bring recommendations to the full board of the HSE early next week.

The renewed contacts between the HSE board and Prof Drumm come just days after he gave a critical interview about the health service reform process.

Prof Drumm told the Irish Medical Times this week that the negotiations became derailed because his vision of reform was too ambitious. He said that so far the HSE represented only "a reshuffling of the old health boards and no real reform".